Banana Peanut Butter Oat Bars: A Healthy On-the-Go Snack Recipe

Banana Peanut Butter Oat Bars

These Banana Peanut Butter Oat Bars come together with only seven ingredients for a simple, wholesome snack. They are chewy, nutty, and subtly sweet, and they are built to keep you satisfied and energized between meals.

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The recipe was developed by Jamie Vespa, a Registered Dietitian, and it has a permanent spot in my snack rotation because it works for breakfast, for the afternoon slump, and for dessert when you want something sweet without a sugar crash.

Why You’ll Love These Banana Peanut Butter Bars:

I usually bake a pan on Sunday afternoon, and by Wednesday there is nothing left but crumbs. Here is what makes them so handy:

• They fit real life: grab one for a portable breakfast, one for the 3 o’clock energy dip, or one as a lighter dessert that will not send you into a sugar crash.
• The texture is the selling point: chewy, nutty and subtly sweet, somewhere between baked oatmeal and a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie.
• One bowl, one pan: you mash, stir, spread, and bake. No mixer and no chilling required.
• Fiber and protein in every bite: oats, peanut butter, and optional collagen give these bars real staying power.

They also travel well. I tuck a wrapped bar into a lunch bag, a backpack, or a tote, and it still holds its shape by the time hunger hits.

If you are a snack bar person, you will want the whole family of recipes nearby. The same source also shares Banana Bread Bars, Healthy Pumpkin Bars, and Coconut Cashew Bars.

Recipe Ingredients:

Everything here is flexible. Swap what you do not like, keep what you love, and the bars still hold together beautifully. Here is how each ingredient earns its place.

• Bananas (2 medium, ripe): they bring natural sweetness and all the moisture the batter needs. Not a banana fan? Use 2/3 cup pumpkin puree instead.
• Natural creamy peanut butter (1/2 cup): choose the drippy kind with only peanuts and salt on the label, because it blends into the batter evenly. Almond butter and cashew butter both work.
• Pure maple syrup (1/2 cup): any liquid sweetener can take its place, including honey, agave, or brown rice syrup. I keep coming back to maple because its richness plays so nicely with nut butter.
• Coconut oil (3 tablespoons, melted): this is what keeps the bars moist and chewy. Avocado oil is an easy substitute.
• Vanilla extract (1/2 teaspoon): a small pour that makes the whole pan taste warmer.
• Old fashioned rolled oats (2 cups): for a fully gluten free batch, use a certified gluten free brand such as Bob’s Red Mill.
• Collagen protein (2 scoops, about 20 grams): optional. It adds protein, and any protein powder of choice can step in.
• Chocolate chips (1/2 cup): optional but loved. Dried fruit or chopped nuts work just as well.
• Walnuts (1/4 cup, finely chopped): optional, and lovely for crunch.
• Kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon): the quiet hero that keeps everything from tasting flat.

If you already keep oats, nut butter, and a ripe banana on hand, you are most of the way there. The full measured list lives in the recipe card below, so you can scroll straight to it when you are ready to bake.

Substitutions/Additions:

Make these bars yours. A few small changes shift the whole personality of the pan.

• Add walnuts: fold them in alongside the chocolate chips, or use them in place of the chips for extra heart healthy fats and a little crunch.
• Go vegan: the bars are naturally vegan as long as you leave out the collagen. If you still want a protein boost, add a scoop of plant based protein powder instead.
• Skip the nuts: for a nut free version, sunflower seed butter slides in for the peanut butter without changing the method.
• Try dried cherries: my favorite fruit addition. Their sweet and tart flavor is a perfect match for the chocolate.

Whichever route you take, keep the balance of wet and dry ingredients the same so the bars still set up in the oven.

The Directions:

Prep is short, about 8 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.

1. Place the bananas in a mixing bowl and mash them thoroughly with a fork until pureed.
2. Stir in the peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.
3. Add the rolled oats, collagen or protein powder if using, chocolate chips, walnuts if using, and salt. Stir to combine.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and spread it evenly. If you like, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips over the top.
5. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until the center is set.
6. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out, then let them cool completely before slicing into 12 bars.

One optional final touch: a light sprinkle of flaky salt over the top. That part is completely up to you.

More Healthy Snack Bars to Try:

If you snap a photo of your bars, share it on Instagram with the #dishingouthealth hashtag so other home bakers can see your version. You can also follow along on Facebook and Pinterest to catch new snack ideas as they land.

And when this pan is empty, there is no reason to stop. The same source shares Banana Bread Bars, Healthy Pumpkin Bars, and Coconut Cashew Bars, so you can keep a different bar in the tin every week.

Ingredients

• 2 medium ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (or avocado oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 2 scoops collagen protein, about 20 grams (or protein powder of choice), optional
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (use cacao nibs or dried fruit for a vegan version)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Ripe bananas do double duty here, adding sweetness and moisture. If you would rather not use banana, 2/3 cup pumpkin puree is the suggested stand in.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Place the bananas in a mixing bowl and use a fork to mash them thoroughly. Once pureed, stir in the peanut butter, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla.
3. Add the rolled oats, collagen or protein powder, chocolate chips, walnuts if using, and salt. Stir to combine.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. If desired, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips over the top. Transfer to the oven and bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until set.
5. Remove from the oven and let the bars cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Use the parchment paper to lift them out and let them cool completely before slicing.
6. Once cooled, slice into 12 bars. A sprinkle of flaky salt on top is optional but delicious. Refrigerate after 2 days.

Storage: keep the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, then move them to the refrigerator for up to 3 more days.

Freezing: cool the bars completely, wrap each one in plastic wrap, place them in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, unwrap a bar and warm it on a microwave safe plate for 30 to 60 seconds.

Notes

Storage at a glance. Room temperature in an airtight container: 3 days. Refrigerator after that: up to 3 more days. The recipe also suggests refrigerating after 2 days if your kitchen runs warm.

Freezer friendly. Cool the bars fully first, wrap each one in plastic wrap, and store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Reheat unwrapped on a microwave safe plate for 30 to 60 seconds, or simply let one thaw at room temperature.

About the bake time. The recipe card lists a 22 minute cook time, while the method calls for 28 to 32 minutes. Ovens vary, so trust the look and feel of the bars: they are ready when the center is set and no longer jiggles.

One quick tip from my own kitchen: let the bars cool completely before slicing. Warm bars crumble, but fully cooled bars cut into clean squares every time.

Recipe details

This recipe makes 12 bars, with one bar per serving.

Nutrition per bar, from the source recipe:

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Banana Peanut Butter Oat Bars These Banana Peanut Butter Oat Bars come together with only seven ingredients for a simple, wholesome snack. They are chewy, nutty, and subtly sweet, and they are built to keep you satisfied and energized between meals.

• Total Time: 30 min
• Yield: 12 bars 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

2 medium bananas, ripe
1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted (or avocado oil)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 scoops collagen protein, \~20g (sub protein powder of choice)
1/2 cup chocolate chips, sub cacao nibs or dried fruit if making vegan
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

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Instructions

1-Preheat oven to 350ºF and line an: Preheat oven to 350ºF and line an 8×8″ baking dish with parchment paper.
2-Place bananas in a mixing bowl and: Place bananas in a mixing bowl and use a fork to throughly mash. Once pureed, stir in peanut butter, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla.
3-Add rolled oats, collagen or protein powder,: Add rolled oats, collagen or protein powder, chocolate chips, walnuts (if using), and salt; stir to combine.
4-Pour mixture into prepared baking dish: Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. If desired, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips overtop. Transfer to the oven and bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until set. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan and let cool completely before slicing into.
5-Once cooled, slice into 12 bars: Once cooled, slice into 12 bars. (I also like sprinkling some flaky salt overtop, however totally optional.) Refrigerate after 2 days.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 8 min
• Cook Time: 22 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bar
• Calories: 220
• Sugar: 17
• Sodium: 90
• Fat: 13
• Saturated Fat: 5
• Carbohydrates: 35
• Fiber: 4
• Protein: 8